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Wednesday, 16 April 2008

HINTS, TIPS & TRICKS - Wake Up Call

Sometimes, getting up and out of the house looking lively is a difficult task. It has become easier lately with our lighter, brighter mornings, but let's be honest, we can still all do with a bit of help.

The best toner is a splash of water. It will tighten the skin, improves circulation and doesn't clog the pores with product. If you don't have much time for make up then make sure you go for mascara to open up the eyes and make them appear more awake, and bronzer or blusher which will add life and colour to your face.

For puffy eyes there are lots of natural tricks. Keep two teaspoons in the fridge and press them against your eyes to tauten the skin. Cucumber slices and teabags are the other way, if you would rather not use food, then most good chemists sell refreshing eye pads or masks which you can keep in the fridge for added revitalisation. If you wear contacts, start off in glasses and put lenses in once you are at work to give your eyes some extra time without them.

Get up 10 minutes earlier and do some exercise. It might be walking the dog round the block, some yoga moves or some crunches. It doesn't need to be too strenuous but will give you a boost for the rest of the day, and you get to feel smug that you have already done some exercise when you arrive at work.

Bad hair days are unfortunate but don't have to be a complete disaster. I opt for a quick ponytail and make sure I have some great earrings and polished make up. Draw attention away from the problem and make the most of the things you can, your best assets.

Wear a dress and heels. You can't slouch and look sleepy if your wardrobe won't allow it. Don't compromise on comfort, but I do find that if I am wearing slouchy clothes it makes me want to get cosy. Most people can't do that at work, so the treat is getting in and changing into that favourite cosy outfit once the working day is done.

Find your happy sleeping pattern. Some people need to jump straight out of bed, whilst others need to snooze. I am a snooze girl and have worked out that I am most lively after snoozing for 45 minutes so I set my alarm that much earlier than I need to actually need to. Experiment to see how much sleep, and what kind of sleep your body needs and then give in.